Car Talk

[AnimatedDirt]

Looked like more of a glancing blow than a nasty crash to my rather untrained eye... a nasty one would be getting side-slammed by a bus or a frontal collision with displacement, Euro NCAP style, only at more than 64 km/h and vs. a heavier car.

The bimmer is obviously wrecked though, and that means it did its job in sacrificing itself for its occupants. A good car, even if I wouldn't want to own one.

From her account, she was doing about the speed limit (40mph) and was hit while in the No. 1 lane and thrown across the traffic lanes and straight into a traffic light pole.  Other driver was found at fault.

Praise be to the FSM, she's OK.  Let's hope the insurance pays up without quibbling.  I'm assuming that's a write-off for insurance purposes?

Insurance paid up very well in fact.  Just under $10k

I had just (within 2 months) swapped out the rear lights for some really nice smoked LED taillights.  I so wanted to remove them when we went to the tow yard to clean it out of our stuff.

[Ali]

1984 Citroen BX 1.9D (red)

I've heard...um....good things...about Citroens (from Douglas Adams.) 

1986 Camaro Berlinetta (silver) (wrapped around a telephone pole when I was 16)
1994 Geo Metro (blue) (drove until pieces of it were literally falling off in my hands)
2002 Suzuki Aerio Hatchback (black) (wonderful car, drove for 6 years and never once broke down or needed any maintenance other than oil changes, sold last year when my FIL gave me the Accord)
Current: 2003 Honda Accord (dark blue) (so far it's been good to me.)

Dream car: I've always wanted a Jeep Wrangler, but doubt I will get one until my kid(s) are grown, and who knows if they will still make them by then...

[AnimatedDirt]

My first car at 16 yrs of age was a 1976 Fiat X19.  True, they are finiky cars, but oh how much fun that car is!  Targa top, two-seater, low to the ground...and as long as the road is dry, a well handling car.  Not great for top speed, I think I got it to 95mph going downhill with a tailwind...

I had so much fun in my X19.  Left me a few times on the side of the road, but the fun more than outweighed the grief.  All things considered, it was a pretty good car.  I would drive it back and forth from the L.A. to the San Fran.(area) to and from college.

OK, so let's have it. I want your lists of cars you've owned.

We've owned a few cars:

1976 Fiat X19
1988 Toyota FX (only one bought new)
1973 VW Bus (still have...needs tlc)
1991 Lexus LS400 (best A/C - BEST customer service hands down!)
1987 BMW 325i (my fave bimmer )
1988 BMW 528e (my favorite BMW model, but in M5 guise)
1994 MBZ E320 (most reliable.  Still in operation.  200k+ miles)
1996 Mazda 626 (my hoop-dee)
1997 BMW 740i  (smooooooth and quick!)
2001 BMW 325i  (fun! - accident=totaled)
2002 BMW X5  (had most fun in - our ski machine)
2005 MBZ C230 Kom (replaced the 325i - quick and fantastic fuel economy!)

I'm pretty sure that's it.

Dream car (realistic): 1988 BMW M5

Dream car (true): Porsche GT3

[Siz]

My first car at 16 yrs of age was a 1976 Fiat X19.  True, they are finiky cars, but oh how much fun that car is!  Targa top, two-seater, low to the ground...and as long as the road is dry, a well handling car.  Not great for top speed, I think I got it to 95mph going downhill with a tailwind...

I had so much fun in my X19.  Left me a few times on the side of the road, but the fun more than outweighed the grief.  All things considered, it was a pretty good car.  I would drive it back and forth from the L.A. to the San Fran.(area) to and from college.

Ahh cool. My brother bought one for fun (he had a Ford Sierra too) and I drove it a few times - it was the 'Bertone' version, so nicely kitted out. After he'd got bored with it he told me I could HAVE it if I bought the four new tyres it needed. I was skint (and couldn't really afford to run it anyway) so had to wave goodbye to it. Fun little toy though.

[Firebird]

First car was a '97 Camry my parents gave to me when I was in college. Worked great until the engine exploded in '04. Turned out there was a known flaw in Toyota engines built at that time where the gap between the pistons and the surrounding walls was too thin and somehow caused gelling of the oil. But Toyota didn't believe me and refused to cover the busted engine. So I went to their competitor and bought a new Honda Accord, black. Yes, I'm boring. But I don't drive much and I just needed something practical and roomy. Great car overall.

[Siz]

1984 Citroen BX 1.9D (red)

I've heard...um....good things...about Citroens (from Douglas Adams.)  

Ive got nothing good to say about it other than it had cool suspension.

I see you've experienced the virtues of Japanese cars. Can't fault 'em for anything. (Was that Asmo bemoaning them earlier? - He's just plain wrong! )


Just as an amusing side-note, you don't see many Toyota MR2s in France as I discovered when driving around in one amongst muted sniggers.
Pronounced EM-AIR-DEUX, it sounds a bit like 'emmerdeuse' meaning 'shitty'.

[Asmodean]

New Citroëns are some og the most comfortable cheap cars that money can buy and the reliability has improved, so if you want comfort before speed or looks, Citroën should be considered.

[Asmodean]

(Was that Asmo bemoaning them earlier? - He's just plain wrong! )

Depends on the car. Name one and I will tell you what is wrong with it. 

[Siz]

(Was that Asmo bemoaning them earlier? - He's just plain wrong! )

Depends on the car. Name one and I will tell you what is wrong with it. 

OK. I can play that. I'll be Japanese cars, and you be European. Still wanna play?

[Asmodean]

Do lets.

Easy start: Volvo s60

[Ali]

What's wrong with my Honda? 

[Asmodean]

Mostly, seats and interior design. Interior space is also a minus for its percieved exterior size.

That aside, it's very nice to drive, has decent engines and is reliable.

[technolud]

Finally something on the happy atheist thread I can contribute too.  You all are amatures on the car ownership front.  

Except for the mini-vans for my wife most of these were purchased as 100,000 mile cars.

1967 VW microbus.  with flower stickers
1972 Chevy 3/4 ton pickup
1968 VW Karmen Gia convertable
1969 Triumph TR6
1980 VW Golf Diesel (48 hp)
1980 Chevy Monza (like a Vega but it had a 350 hp v8.  Way unsafe)
1972 Plymouth Valiant (wife brought this)
1984 Chevy 3/4 ton pickup
1984 Dodge Daytona
1986 Volvo 240 (Diesel with stick)
1987 Mazda RX-7
1968 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup
1988 Ford Ranger
1990 Ford Ranger
1990 Chrysler mini van
1984 Volvo 240
1998 Pontiac Mini Van
1955 Chevy Belair (4 door)
1993 Ford 3/4 ton pickup
1991 Toyota MR2 (turbo)
1986 BMW 325e
1982 Chevy Blazer w/6.2 Diesel.  Added a 5 speed manual.
1986 Porsche 944 (project car with son, but he decided to keep the...)
2001 VW Passat (still going, son)
2003 Honda Minivan (still going, daughter)
1999 Chevrolet Corvette (bought for $12,000 with 118,000 miles, sold for $12,800 20,000 miles later.  Net cost about $750 not counting gas)
2003 Mercedes 230 C (totaled by driving 50 feet through a 10" deep puddle.  Last german car ever)
1994 Honda Civic (Yipeee!!!  Replace Corvette as track car)
2008 Nissan Xterra (current daily driver)
2010 Subaru Outback (current wife car)

and (mostly purchased as basket cases, sold running)

Honda 350
Honda 450
Honda 750
Ducati 441
Triumph 750
Yamaha 500 (single)
Motoguzzi 750
Harley 80 cu in.
BMW R 100 (1000 cc)
Kawasaki h2 750 (current)

I'm bad.

[Tom62]

My car list is rather small

1978 Opel Kadett (it was stolen 4 weeks after I'd bought it. The police found it back, but the car was damaged beyond repair)
1986 Renault 9 GTS (had loads of small technical problems with that car, which made me decide never to buy any french car again in my entire life)
1996 Ford Mondeo (now that was really a great car)
2000 Volvo S70 (still got that one. I never had any problems with it)

[Ali]

1994 Honda Civic

A Honda Civic?  YOU FOOL. 

(You were the one that told us about the Civic forum drama, weren't you?  Otherwise, please disregard me.  Everyone else does.)